The assessment of MMP-8 among different stages of periodontitis in the Iraqi population

This research aims to explore the potential of MMP-8 as a biomarker for diagnosing periodontitis using the latest classification system for this condition. This study enrolled 63 patients with periodontitis and classified them into stage II and stage III periodontitis groups. Additionally, 18 healthy/intact periodontium individuals were included as a control group. Clinical periodontal parameters were assessed, and 3 ml of whole unstimulated saliva was collected from each participant. The results revealed that both PLI (Plaque Index) and BOP (Bleeding on Probing) were considerably elevated in both stages of periodontitis compared to the healthy/control group. There were no statistical differences between periodontitis stages for PLI, BOP, and PPD (Probing Pocket Depth); however, Clinical Attachment Level (CAL) showed a substantial difference across the different stages of periodontitis. The concentrations of MMP-8 were substantially higher in both stages than in the control group, with a significant difference between the periodontitis stages, as the mean concentration was higher in stage II than in stage III. Furthermore, a significant positive correlation was observed between aMMP-8 levels and all periodontal indices. ROC analysis showed that salivary MMP-8 had good diagnostic accuracy for differentiating between periodontal health and periodontitis. However, salivary MMP-8 was unable to distinguish between periodontitis stages.